


blue lemonade (a wave is coming over us)

by nancydrew



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha Mark Lee (NCT), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Awkward Mark Lee (NCT), M/M, Maybe it'll be a long ass ride, Possible smut who knows, Romantic comedy mostly but a sprinkle of angst, Slow Burn, Straight-laced Haechan, everyone is in here, more tags as we go along, side noren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:28:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23762323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancydrew/pseuds/nancydrew
Summary: Omegaverse AU. Mark Lee is a superstar idol; Donghyuck is a rookie. He's also pregnant with Mark's baby.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 58
Kudos: 314





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Yaaaas my first fic!! Please enjoy and tell me what u think in the comments. Feedback is always appreciated ^_^

Lee Donghyuck never really aspired to idolhood.

His teacher asked him to participate in his school’s talent show, so he did. A scout who saw him perform at the talent show asked him to audition for DREAM Entertainment, so he did. He trained for two years, then was told he was going to debut, so he did. He was fine going with the flow and doing what he was told. People would say that it wasn’t a good attitude to have, that he should be more assertive or that he should be more proactive in his destiny or whatever - but all the higher-ups in the company loved him because of it. They know that he’s not going to be filing any lawsuits, and that he won’t end up in any scandals. He’s Donghyuck.

They don’t need to worry about him.

“I’m not hearing the sound of pee,” Jaemin says.

“Stop it,” Jeno counters.

“It’s hard to pee under pressure,” Chenle adds. “Take your time, hyung!”

“Remember a smiley face is positive and if it’s frownie face it’s a negative!”

“I’m sure he can remember that, Renjun-hyung,” Jisung replies flatly.

Donghyuck looks up from the bright pink test box and turns his anxious gaze to the door, where it seems all his group members are huddled together over on the other side because they’re the nosiest bitches on the planet.

“Can I _please_ have some privacy?” he calls out.

“We’re just giving you some moral support!” Renjun says back. Donghyuck sighs. He finally plops himself down onto the toilet and opens the box, pulling out the thin, pink stick inside.

There’s nothing to worry about, Donghyuck tells himself. Everything is fine. _It’ll be fine_.

“There it is,” Jaemin says. “I hear peeing.”

“It’s so loud,” Chenle points out.

“I mean, he did drink his weight in Minute Maid Lemonade,” Jisung says.

_It’ll be fine, Lee Donghyuck. You will be fine._

“Does it not work as good if you don’t pee as much?” asks Jeno.

“No it’s supposed to work with a regular amount of pee,” Renjun answers. “Hyuck just drank a lot because he’s really nervous.”

Donghyuck flushes the toilet, putting the cap back on the stick and shoving it into his pocket. He opens the door, steps out past his members. Renjun tells him that he’s set a timer for two minutes, Jaemin takes over the bathroom, finally getting his own chance to pee. Chenle, Jisung and Jeno go back into the kitchen and continue making breakfast. As if in some sort of trance, Donghyuck mindlessly paces around the dorm, the noise around him muffled, time seeming to slow.

_Everything will be fine._

He takes in a long, deep breath. The words of his CEO, his managers, his teachers echo in his mind. You’re so dependable, Donghyuck. We can always count on you, Donghyuck. At least we know Donghyuck will be okay. He feels a little bit of guilt slither down the nape of his neck. He was the complete opposite of a problem child.

Which is probably what had possessed him in that moment, to be rebellious, to… feel some adrenaline rush out of being spontaneous.

It’s times like now that he remembers exactly _why_ he doesn’t do stuff like that.

_Rinnngggg!_

Donghyuck looks up, shakes himself out of his thoughts. Renjun presses stop on the timer. Jaemin emerges from the bathroom, Chenle, Jisung and Jeno are staring at him from the kitchen, frozen still with their spatula, bowl of rice and side-dishes in hand.

Moment of truth.

He pulls out the stick from his pocket. Donghyuck feels like he’s about to vomit – and hopefully in two seconds he’ll be able to confirm that it’s because of food poisoning, or a stomach flu. Any other possible affliction that could cause nausea and vomiting.

_It’s gonna be fine._

Just everyone wait and see. It’s a false alarm. He just ate some bad kimbap from the convenience mart and his heat cycle is just off because of hormone imbalance probably. There’s nothing to worry about because he’s not –

Renjun takes a sharp inhale. The room falls into a deafening silence.

“It’s-” Renjun starts to say.

“Smiley face,” Donghyuck mutters hollowly. “A smiley face.”

Chenle drops a spatula, and the clang of its collision with the floor rings heavily throughout the apartment.

“Sorry,” he squeaks in the smallest of voices.

A hurricane of thoughts flurries in Donghyuck’s mind. Yes, these tests are supposed to 99.9% accurate but what if this test happens to be the 0.01% where it’s not? He’ll have to take another one just to be safe. Maybe another two.. or five more… And-and it’s _definitely_ some bad kimbap because it was on sale the other day which means it was about to expire anyways.

There’s no way Donghyuck is pregnant… because if he is pregnant, that means he’ll have to tell the CEO that he is.. that is if the managers don’t find out beforehand. Then, he’ll be kicked out of the group so the whole thing stays a secret - but then the fans will find out anyways because they’ll put two and two together – which would suck because either situation will put the group in jeopardy and it’s probably the worst part about this _entire_ thing is that their latest comeback is doing _really_ well finally it’s in the top 100 and it trended on Naver for once and since no really big groups are promoting in the coming weeks there maybe a chance that they could nab a first win _which is great_ and also this will ruin the group so all those years of training and that year and seven months of non-stop promotions and practices and coming home at one in the morning just to go to sleep for three hours wake up and go to the hair salon, go to school, working a part-time job will be for nothing because _holy shit all the fans will hate me_ and by extension the whole group who have done absolutely nothing to deserve the potential torrent of hate and boycott and _holy shit Lee Donghyuck you are the dumbest stupidest person to ever be smeared onto the earth how could you be so FUCKING DUMB_ like who in their right mind thinks you know what I’m feeling a smidge rebellious why don’t I sneak off into a supply closet and maybe suck some dick oh better yet better yet how about I just let Mark Lee cu- oh my god holy shit holy fucking _shit!_

 _I am pregnant with Mark Lee’s baby._ God it sounds like the title of a Wattpad fic, the crazy messy ones he used to love reading in middle school. Donghyuck wants to shit his pants. And preferably drop dead afterwards.

“Hyuck,” Jeno says. “You good?”

Donghyuck nods.

“Y-yeah,” he manages, before lurching forward and heaving out a geyser of Minute Maid Lemonade all over the floor.

_Everything is fine._


	2. the space between your eyes and mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big THANK U for all the kudos and nice comments that were left behind on the last chapter!!  
> I'm so glad you guys are liking this little story of mine. I have more to say at the end of the chapter, but in the meanwhile I hope u enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think in the comments below. Feedback is always appreciated ^_^

**TWO MONTHS AGO**

“Lee Donghyuck. Tell him he can’t go.”

Up on a step-ladder, Donghyuck is serving a domestic _Cooking Mama_ ensemble with his bright, yellow rubber gloves and a Daiso apron baring florals. He gives the blades off the ceiling fan a few more vigorous swipes with the feather duster. He turns to Jeno, who’s looking up at him with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his handsome face. Renjun never stops talking about Jeno’s face, and yes, it is a breathtaking sight – but it’s cleaning day today and he hasn’t been able to get anything done because he’s being pestered at non-stop. So right now, all Jeno’s face inspires is annoyance. Donghyuck pulls down his face mask.

“Na Jaemin!” he yells out. “You can’t go out.”

“ _Really?”_ is Jeno’s reply. He rolls his eyes. “That’ll _show him_ , Hyuck. I bet he won’t want to go now, after _that_ firm talking to.”

“I’m kinda _busy_ , Suzy Sarcasm.” Donghyuck climbs down the step-ladder and folds it up. The living room is finally done. “Besides, why don’t _you_ go talk to him? I’m not the leader.”

Jeno shoots him a look that says, _you always say that but you know_ damn _well that you might as well be the leader._ It’s really annoying, but also kind of true. Since most of them were the same age they didn’t need to assign a leader. That being said, everybody just expected Donghyuck to take care of everything anyways: making sure that everybody is awake and ready, that everyone has the choreography down pat, and especially making sure the members don’t do any stupid stuff – like sneaking off and going clubbing, for example.

“Look, Lee Jeno,” Donghyuck starts. He opens up the cupboard in their hallway, putting away the feather duster and taking out a bottle of glass cleaner and a cloth. “I see why you’re worried-”

“Okay, so why aren’t _you_ worried?”

“You act like you’re _so_ innocent – weren’t you and Renjun going off to eat fried chicken at two in the morning last week? When we’re supposed to be on a _diet?”_

“That is completely different. The point is-”

“That you’re a big fat hypocrite?”

“No-”

“You know what kind of animal you’d be? A _hippo_ -crite.”

“Hyuck.”

“Get it? _Hippo_ -crite.”

“You’re being so frustrating.”

“Well, you’re being a hypocrite.”

“Can you just try to take this seriously? I’m begging.”

“You know what I _should_ be taking seriously, Lee Jeno? Tidying up the damn bathroom.”

“Lee Donghyuck-”

“I’ve only just finished the living room, and there’s still the bathroom _and_ all the rooms to do! I’m _busy_.”

“It can _wait_.”

“No, it can’t. Jisung finishes school at four, Chenle gets back from tutoring at five-thirty and Renjun finishes his shift at six. I have the smallest window of time to get everything done before everyone is back, otherwise _nothing_ will be clean!”

Jeno grabs Donghyuck’s shoulders. “Jaemin is going out – _to a club._ Do you know how much shit we’ll get if he gets caught at a _club_?”

“A grown man going out to the club. What about that is supposed to be controversial?”

“We’re _idols._ ”

“So?” Donghyuck counters. “Idols go out clubbing all the time.”

“We’re rookies!”

“Exactly.”

Jeno lets out a loud, frustrated UGH as a reply and runs a hand through his hair. “We’re rookies with a cute, pure boyfriend concept and one of us will get caught clubbing – I really, _really_ don’t understand what you’re failing to grasp about this.”

“Look, I know this has you all up in knots. But the way I see it, we’re not just rookies – we’re nugu rookies. So nugu that it’s likely that we’ll be paying off our company debt when we’re fifty-seven.”

Jeno’s face shifts into a calmer expression.

Donghyuck continues. “You don’t see pictures of Renjun working at the bakery all over Sispatch. Chenle and Jisung take the subway to and from school and not once have they been mobbed by any fans – which, apparently, we have!”

“Yeah, we do have some. It was news to me, too.”

“Well, however many fans we have, they have yet to pounce on us in public, or are even aware we exist in real life. So I _really_ doubt that Jaemin going to a club, which would have some significantly more famous celebrities present, would be prime fodder for the paparazzi.”

Jeno’s face is still one of apprehension. “I guess you’re right.”

“When am I ever not?” Donghyuck teases. “Now. _Please,_ I beg of you. Let. Me. Clean. This. Bathroom.”

“Okay.” Jeno turns around and heads to the kitchen.

Donghyuck sprays the mirror a couple of times and begins to wipe.

“B _uuut-_ ” 

“Jesus Fucking Christ-” 

“I’m still a little uneasy about him just going there all by himself…”

Donghyuck throws the cloth at the mirror in defeat _. I am never getting this damn bathroom cleaned,_ he laments.

x

“I’m so glad you ended up coming, hyung,” Jaemin says brightly, fixing up the collar of his Gucci button-up.

Donghyuck didn’t really have a choice. Only after a long conversation which ended with Jeno offering to clean the rest of the dorm did Donghyuck agree to accompany Jaemin tonight. Jaemin’s friend from high school is working as a bouncer for the event, a party hosted by some ridiculously wealthy celebrity. From where the two of them were, Donghyuck can spot the massive crowd that enveloped the building, winding down all the way as far as the next few buildings.

"Jaemin, will we even be able to get in?" Donghyuck wonders. "I don't think that line's moving until another hour or two."

Jaemin pulls out his secret phone from his pocket ("Na Jaemin, we're not supposed to have phones!" Renjun had scolded). He types out a message then waits until the recognisable sound of a kakaotalk notification chimes.

"My friend said he'll let us in through the back," Jaemin explains, gesturing for Donghyuck to follow him. Donghyuck had never been to a club before, and he's always been content staying at home. As he tries to absorb the sensory overload of neon lights, clouds of cigarette smoke and muffled bass reverberating from the inside of the club, a tinge of excitement stirs at the nape of his neck. 

Jaemin and Donghyuck stop in front of a big, red door with the words NO ENTRY emblazoned on it in chipped white paint. It swings open, emerging from inside a tall man dressed in all black. His brown hair is slicked back, an earpiece tucked into one ear, and a walkie-talkie in hand; his face is pretty with big puppy eyes and small, yet full lips. This guy is the most adorable bouncer in the world, Donghyuck thinks. 

"Na Jaemin!" the man says brightly, flashing the two of them with a friendly smile and wraps Jaemin into a familiar hug.

"Yoon Sanha, you are the most un-intimidating bouncer in the world," Jaemin teases. He gestures a hand to Donghyuck. "This is my group member, Lee Donghyuck."

"Oh yeah!" Sanha exclaims. "Haechan!"

Donghyuck and Jaemin chuckle. "You're a fan?"

"Hell yeah," Sanha replies. "Your voice is _insane._ "

"Aww shucks." Donghyuck giggled. Sanha pulls out a card from his breast pocket and presses it on the pad above the doorknob.

"You guys are never gonna believe who's here tonight," he says, the pad beeping and unlocking the door. "A real who's who."

"Yeah," Jaemin confirms, looking at Donghyuck. "You know Kang Daniel is the one hosting this party?"

Donghyuck's eyebrows arch up in surprise. "Oh wow."

"He's covering the bar tab for the _entire_ party!" Jaemin adds. 

"Ha Sooyoung is here too, Jaem," Sanha teases, swinging the door open. Jaemin's face lights up and he darts straight inside. Sanha and Donghyuck look at each other, sharing grins of amusement. The three of them head down a maze of hallways lit neon purple, following the music, growing louder, louder, so much louder and holy shit it's so _loud_ as they come closer to the dancefloor.

"You guys!!" Jaemin yells, barely audible over the music. "I'm gonna shoot my shot tonight!"

"Uh-huh," Sanha yells back.

"I'm serious!" Jaemin replies. "Ha Sooyoung is my _dream_ girl. She's so funny, she's drop-dead gorgeous - plus, she's so smart. You know her favourite films are all arty French movies? _Blue is The Warmest Colour, Portrait of a Lady on Fire._ She's so cultured." 

Donghyuck smirks. "If you see her here tonight, go ask her about _The Handmaiden._ I have a feeling it's a movie she also really liked."

Jaemin goes on and on about the goddess incarnate Ha Sooyoung until the three of them finally reach the end of the serpentine hallway, facing a silver door. Sanha swipes his card on a keypad. The doors slide open, and the three of them are greeted by a wall of deafening trap music. Jaemin's eyes are as wide as they can possibly get. Donghyuck also finds himself in awe of the whole scene. The dancefloor is flooded by a sea of people dancing with absolute, reckless abandon. Up above, lights frantically swing around, casting the whole club in a wash of green, purple and red. As Donghyuck takes it all in, he notices something.

"Everyone's wearing a mask," he mutters.

"Yeah," Sanha confirms. "The theme of this party is 'Saints and Sinners Masquerade'."

"You should've told us!" Jaemin chides. "We didn't bring any masks."

"You're not supposed to bring a mask," he explains, pointing at a large table by the bar, where a huge pile of masks are stacked on top. "You get them when you come in."

The huge pile consists of the same cat-eye mask but in two colours. "So what'll it be, boys?" Sanha asks, holding up a silver mask framed by baby-blue lace, "Saint?" and one glittering, blood red mask with black lace. "Or Sinner?"

"Sinner," Jaemin answers mischievously.

"Saint," Donghyuck chooses, the obvious pick. The two of them grab their respective masks and put it on. The masks are larger than Donghyuck expected. He gives Jaemin a good look and realises that with the mask consuming almost his entire face, it'll be a bit difficult trying to spot him.

"Okay. You guys are set, I'll get back to work finally," Sanha says, giving Jaemin a pat on the back. "Have fun, go crazy!

Jaemin and Donghyuck thank him, promise him a signed CD and watch him disappear into the crowd.

"Well, I'm gonna go find the love of my life," Jaemin says. "I'm coming out of here with Ha Sooyoung as my girlfriend if it's the last thing I do."

"Good luck with that," Donghyuck replies, only half-joking. "I'll be here if you need me."

"Don't go crazy with the alcohol, Hyuck!" Jaemin jokes, heading off into the fray of the dancefloor.

"Ha!" Donghyuck yells back. His group members always tease him for his penchant for getting really drunk. But that was just them getting a couple of bottles of soju and having some tteokbokki at home. As if he was gonna do that here, especially since he's supposed to be looking after Jaemin.

But still... the alcohol is free, and one drink won't hurt. Also, he didn't want to babysit after Jaemin anyway, and he doesn't need to - he isn't the leader and more importantly Jaemin is a whole adult. He doesn't need a babysitter. Screw everybody for always putting all this unnecessary pressure onto him. Donghyuck also gives a Screw You to himself, for being such a pushover all the time. He wouldn't always be expected to do everything if he just stood and up and said No, instead of just agreeing to everything. It's so unfair. Do none of them consider what Donghyuck wants? Do they even acknowledge that Lee Donghyuck is a human being? With needs and desires and rights? That he is also entitled the very basic freedom to-

The voice in the back of his mind, the one that steadies him when he tends to veer into dramatics, stops him. _Lee Donghyuck,_ it says flatly. _Just get a fucking drink._

Donghyuck approaches the bar, and waits for a bartender to spot and approach him.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asks.

"Uh.. gin and tonic?" Donghyuck answers. The bartender nods and starts pouring.

It'll just be one drink, it's fine. _I, Lee Donghyuck, will not be getting drunk tonight,_ he promises to himself.

X

At some point, during a gulp of his third G&T, does Donghyuck have an epiphany. _I'm drunk!!_

"Bartender!" Donghyuck calls. The bartender that's been serving him the whole time looks up from a drink he's making.

"Won't be a moment, sir," the bartender says. "After I fix up these couple of drinks I'll get started on another gin and tonic."

"No, no!" Donghyuck replies. "I was calling because, to to tell you that I _won't_ be needing a gin and tonic anymore, like in future. I think I'm drunk to drink."

The bartender nods. "I think so too, sir."

Donghyuck notices the man in a Sinner's mask to his left watching the exchange impatiently, fingers tapping on the bench and his lips twisted in a sour scowl. He tries to give the most intimidating glare he can muster.

"Can I help you?" Donghyuck jeered, taking another gulp of his drink, because maybe that would add to his attempt at looking intimidating. 

"Yeah," the man replies simply. "If you could stop bothering the poor bartender so he could make my drink, that'd be great."

"Hey, dun't call him a bartender, you a-asshole.. he has a _name_ , y'know."

"You called him bartender just before - _asshole._ "

"Maybe so, but tha only because I like.. forgot his name. I didn say _bartender_ just to be an _asshole_ like _youuu_."

"I didn't know his name either!! And YOU are.. the asshole, I mean."

" _Niii_ _ce_ comeback.. did your sister help you come up with it?" Donghyuck lets out a loud, sloppy cackle. The bartender comes over and hands the man a glass with dark liquid.

"Sorry about the wait, sir," he says.

"No, man. All good," the man replies. "Thank you... what was your name sorry?"

"Bomin, sir."

"Thank you, _Bomin_ ," the man says smugly, looking at Donghyuck. Bomin smiles uncomfortably, observing the two before getting back to work.

"How about you?" the man continues, "what's your name?"

"What's it to you?" Donghyuck snipes back.

"Just curious, because you don't seem like someone that was invited here."

"Fuck does that mean? You saying I don't _belong_ here?"

"Well, yeah."

"You're a rude mister - _fuck_ _you._ "

"I'm just saying, do you even know what this party is for?"

"Duh. Is a Saint's and Sinner Masquerade."

"Yep. That's the _theme_ of the party. But do you know what the _party_ is for?"

"Do _you?_ "

"I do."

"Enlighten me, since you're a genius and you know _everything_."

"It's a party to celebrate SuperM coming back from a world tour."

"Wait?" Donghyuck scans the club. "Is SuperM _here_?"

"They were supposed to be. Don't think they're coming though." The man smirks. "Why? You a fan?"

"God no," Donghyuck scoffs. He tugs at his shirt collar, unbuttoning the top button loose. Perhaps it's the alcohol settling in his stomach but its kind of warm in here now - hot almost.

"You _don't_ like them?" there's a sharpness in the man's tone that kind of sounds like offense.

Donghyuck slurps up the remnants of an ice cube from his glass to provide himself with some cold. "Overrated," he says, "and Mark Lee is a jerk."

A pause before the man responds. "Really?"

"Yeah," Donghyuck says. "My group had have a- _was_ having a comeback the same time SuperM had having a comeback... I've seen how he is backstage - soooo _oooo rude_."

"Oh, you're an idol, huh. Which group?"

"The Dream Boyz." Donghyuck presses the cool glass against his warm cheek.

"Never heard of it." The man says curtly, like it's supposed to sting.

"Is okay. No one has." Donghyuck proceeds to undo a few more buttons off his shirt, pulling at the fabric to billow some air onto himself. "Hol _yyy sheet_ is hot in here!"

As he fans and billows at himself, Donghyuck sees the man's nose crinkle. The man takes a deep breath, then another deep breath.

"Hey," the man says. "You... smell so good."

Donghyuck stares at the man, who's staring right back at him intensely. The longer he looks at the man, the blurrier things become. His body trembles, and he feels himself swaying left, moving towards the man, as if he was being pulled to him by some magnetic force. Donghyuck finds himself sliding off his seat, treading a wobbly few steps and wrapping his arms around the man, straddling him, and pushing the man's face onto the crook of his neck.

"Smell me more," Donghyuck whispers. The man obliges, inhaling deeply.

" _Fuck_ ," the man growls into Donghyuck's ear. Donghyuck sways his hips slightly, grinding his ass against the man's lap. He mews and breathes against the man's ear, planting soft, wet kisses down his neck. The man puts his hands on Donghyuck's swivelling ass and squeezes tight. Donghyuck replies with a moan.

"We-" the man tries to say, too distracted by Donghyuck sucking on his earlobe, "we can't do this here."

Donghyuck nods. He presses his lips against the man's, a soft peck at first. Then another, and another.

"Open your mouth," the man whispers, so Donghyuck does. The man closes in, kissing Donghyuck's top lip, sucking on his bottom lip, darting his tongue out and playing with Donghyuck's.

They do this for a while, until everything goes to black.

x

_He's kissing him by the bar. Next thing he remembers, they find a little closet by the bathrooms and go at it in there._

_Donghyuck moaning as the man licks at his nipples and sucks them gently. Donghyuck going down on his knees, and pulling it out, taking it into his mouth. Looking up as he does it because the man tells him to._

_The man caressing his ass, sliding a hand down his pants, easing a finger down the middle, trying to find his hole._

Donghyuck wants to continue, but can't. He feels sunlight piercing through his closed eyes, telling him to open them and get up, so he does. He stretches his arm out, lets out a yawn. Takes a minute to let himself wake up. He looks around the large room, the floor-to-ceiling windows letting the rising sunlight cast everything in a warm glow. It's a beautiful morning, and Donghyuck relishes in it for a minute before he realises that

_This... is not my dorm._

He looks down at his naked body, arms stomach, chest and nipples all covered in marks ranging from pink, purple and burgundy. He turns to his right, where a man is sleeping face down beside him, also naked. Donghyuck stops to take stock.

Okay. Naked man. Naked Donghyuck. Apartment that is not his.

 _Holy shit,_ Donghyuck realises. _I need to get home right now._

Donghyuck hops out of bed, as slowly and as discreetly as he can. He looks for his clothes, which are somehow strewn all over the floor. Socks, underwear, pants; shoes, then... where did his shirt go? He tip-toes around the room, looking for the shirt he was wearing last night. He finds it plopped down on the left side of the bed. He bends down to pick it up, and freezes when he hears the man groan and turn. _Please don't wake up, please don't wake up._

Donghyuck stays still until he hears the man sound asleep. He grabs his shirt and throws it on, and with all his clothes on him, he starts for the door. Although, he does want to at least look at the man behind the mask beforehand. Y'know, see who it is, say goodbye and never see him again, and have him be a clandestine affair, a reckless passionate fling to reminisce over when he finds himself alone and unmarried in his old age.

He turns-

-to see Mark Lee sleeping soundly, black hair tousled wildly, and drool pooling on his pillow. Donghyuck's heart stops.

_Fuck._

X

**NOW**

Donghyuck stares at the puddle of Minute Maid Lemonade he just vomited all over onto the floor. He's frozen, the positive pregnancy test shaking in his hand.

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to introduce a little game that I'll be doing for every future chapter. It'll be different every time, and so the reward will also be different each time, so feel free to participate!
> 
> For this chapter, the game is just correctly listing all the idol cameos! The first person to comment and correctly list all the idols that show up or are mentioned in this chapter + correctly identifying which group they belong to, gets a shout-out in the next chapter hehe <3
> 
> Also, I will be posting two chapters every week! So please anticipate Chapter Three and Four by next Wednesday and Thursday. 
> 
> Thank you guys for reading and I hope u guys stay healthy and have a wonderful week~


	3. an unfamiliar feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this one. I feel like the chapters aren't as interesting at the moment since I've been trying to set everything up. But I promise it'll pick up steam soon. Please let me know what you think in the comments, as always. Thank you for your support and kudos! I'm so floored and touched. Hope you enjoy! (and a special shoutout to @bingtanghulu for winning last chapter's game!)

_I'm pregnant with Mark Lee's baby._

Donghyuck's ears ring, and he feels his throat burn a little.

"So you definitely don't know who the father is?" Jaemin asks.

Donghyuck definitely does, but he shakes his head. He can’t let a single soul know that his baby dad happens to be one of the biggest, most beloved idols on the planet - that's a surefire way to become the most hated person on Earth.

"Lee Donghyuck, I cannot believe you didn't use protection!" Renjun scolds.

"I can't believe hyung had sex in the first place," Jisung mutters. 

"It was not intentional, you guys," Donghyuck defends himself. "I just, I don't know.. I just wanted a drink! I got roped into going so I was like, you know what, let me have a drink or two since it was free alcohol, and then it got really hot all of a sudden and he just smelled me and said I smelled good so I was like ok-"

"Wait," Jeno says, "you went into _heat?_ "

Donghyuck pauses, thinks about for a moment. "I... did I? I'm not really sure."

Jeno looks at him incredulously. " _You're not sure_?"

"I've never gone into heat before, okay!" Donghyuck explains. "I've been taking suppressants ever since I got my first diagnosis so I've never experienced it.. but I forgot to take them that time since we were busy and all."

Jeno sighs. If the sigh is supposed to be one of disappointment or stress, Donghyuck can't tell. Maybe it's both, because that's what he himself feels right now. He's supposed to be the responsible one, and all because he wanted to be silly and take advantage of a free bar tab.. he's now fucking pregnant. Donghyuck realises that the news is probably starting to settle for everyone else because he just notices how quiet everything has gotten. Jeno is off in a corner, chewing on his bottom lip in thought. Chenle, Jaemin and Jisung continue about in the kitchen, and Renjun is off... somewhere.

Donghyuck looks down at his stomach. It looks flat now, but there's a stowaway hiding in there, and thinking about it fills him with a biting guilt. The most important thing to consider about being in a group is that your actions affect everybody. He's supposed to know that better than anyone. He sinks back into the couch and leans his head back, closes his eyes and tries to clear his thoughts so he can come up with a strategy. If he has his maths right, he has eight months to sort everything out, somehow.

As though he’d read his mind, Renjun pops out of wherever he was and plops himself next to Donghyuck, sparkly pink gel pen in one hand and notepad in the other. He meets Donghyuck’s eyes with his own, wide with determination.

“Okay,” he says, pen poised on the notepad, ready to jot something down. “Game plan.”

Donghyuck nods. “Where can we start?”

“Um, you can start with cleaning whatever _that_ is on the floor,” cuts in a stern, female voice. The boys turn around to see their manager, Joohyun-noona entering. Donghyuck, suddenly hyper-aware of the pregnancy test he’d been holding, shoves it into his pocket. The kitchen boys flail like characters from a video game glitching, before settling into their positions of “acting like nothing weird is going on and they’re just cleaning up in the kitchen” except they look _incredibly_ suspicious.

Joohyun-noona inches closer to where Donghyuck and Renjun are, her face contorting in disgust as she realises, “ _Holy shit, is that vomit?”_

Donghyuck turns to Jeno, who stares back at him with the same pleading expression. Fuck, he remembers. _I’m usually the one who covers for shit like this_..

It’s not his best work, but- “I can explain-” he gets out. Joohyun holds out her hand to stop him.

“Don’t bother,” she says, in that way she does, where everything seems to be a gigantic inconvenience to her. “No time. President Jung wants to see you.”

“Okay,” he replies. “Why?”

Joohyun looks at him like he just asked her the world’s stupidest question. It’s hard to look at Joohyun-noona straight in the face most times because she’s just _that_ pretty. She’d have been such a CF Queen if she pursued idol life, but alas, being a female idol meant dealing with a lot of men – and there’s really nothing Joohyun-noona hated more than anything in the world.

“You know as much as I do on why that lady does anything she does, Hyuckie. We just obey when she calls.”

Joohyun turns to leave, her high ponytail swinging like an axe blade as she struts towards the door. “I’ll start the car. I’m giving you fifteen minutes to shower and change.”

Donghyuck starts for the bathroom. When Joohyun-noona gives you a time limit, you go at the earliest milli-second. Joohyun opens the door but stops for a second, to yell,

“Almost forgot! Clean that shit off the floor!”

Everyone else immediately stops what they’re doing and gets to work on the vomit puddle.

X

President Jung’s office is sleek and minimal. All glass, silver, and pictures of Pudu all over the wall in chic, black frames. Donghyuck always pays specific attention to those pictures, because President Jung had told him that he was chosen amongst several other trainee hopefuls… not because of his vocal talent (she hadn’t even listened to his audition tape), but because she saw him and was immediately reminded of her darling childhood pet, a pudu named Haechan.

“Good morning, President Jung,” Donghyuck greeted. “You wanted to see me?”

President Jung beams at him, sitting on her chair. She pets a pudu that is lying fast asleep in her lap.

“My sweet Haechan,” she coos. “Come sit down, I have the most amazing news!”

Donghyuck sets himself down and waits for her response. President Jung’s mouth curls into a mischievous smirk.

“Um.. so what’s the news?”

“You’re gonna have a baby!”

A gasp gets stuck in Haechan’s throat, turning into a wild cough. He coughs for a few seconds, settles himself and stares at President Jung with eyes wide as saucers. For a second time today, his heart stops. _Fuck._

“W-what do you-”

President Jung lets out a loud, rich-lady cackle.

“Oh, what a priceless reaction,” she muses. “You act like I just caught you red-handed!”

Donghyuck giggles nervously, trying to conceal the fact that he might shit his pants.

“Jokes aside,” President Jung continues, “I’ve booked you for a variety show!”

Donghyuck breathes out, relief washing over him. “Oh, really?”

“It’s called _We Got Babies_ , and you’re supposed to get paired up with someone else and you guys raise a baby together!”

The universe is quite the comedian, apparently. A comedian with a dark sense of humour, and Donghyuck’s life is the cruel joke.

“There’s lots of other details that I completely forgot about, but you’ll be filled in eventually. I’ll have you and the boys finish promotions and next week you’ll be off to shoot!”

Donghyuck processes this information. He’ll need to come up with a plan while he still has the time.

“President Jung,” he says. “I was just wondering… how long is this show going on for?”

“Well you’re just shooting the pilot episode for now,” she replies. “But if things go well… you’ll be doing this show for nine months!”

Donghyuck can’t help but let out a humourless chuckle.

“That’s… great.”

X

“Someone’s a fan,” Ten teases.

Mark is too engrossed in his laptop to humour Ten, twenty tabs deep into The Dream Boyz fandom – _The Dream Boyz K-Profile, The Dream Boys Line Distribution, The Dream Boyz Color Coded Lyrics Eng/Han/Rom._

He thinks he’s found him.

He clicks on one of his many tabs, the youtube page of a fan named bingtanghulu, whose header is a picture of the group with the following text overlayed: _The Dream Boyz Only Fan_ – and it seems that they aren’t kidding. Aside from music videos and interviews, all the fanmade videos and compilations are from them.

He clicks on one video in particular, one titled _An Unhelpful Guide to The Dream Boyz._ An automated text-to-speech voice narrates the facts about the band that he’s already read from other articles, and then goes into depth on each member: their talent, their background, what the fans (who there are more of, apparently) love about them. There’s about sixth members in total, the voice surmises.

Lee Jeno and Huang Renjun, who the fandom ships with each other for all their flirting and skinship. Na Jaemin, the wholesome pretty boy of the group. Chill maknae Park Jisung whose cute fluffy cheeks contrast with his deadpan personality, quiet Zhong Chenle for his adorable dolphin scream…

And Lee Donghyuck.

That boy from the party had on a mask, so he couldn’t tell from his face. But then he hears him talk… and it flashes back in his mind.

_Mark Lee is a jerk._

It makes his mouth curl into a slight smile, thinking about that night… at least, what he remembers of it. The voice in the video is clearer and brighter than the garbled, drunk version of it he had talked to at the party… and definitely a lot more innocent than the moans and the whispers that caressed his ear later that night. But it’s the same voice.. he knows it.

He doesn’t expect a serious answer, but he turns to Ten anyways and asks, “Do you think I’m a jerk?”

Ten looks at him, slightly perplexed at this out-of-the-blue question. But he answers eventually.

“Weird, yes. Awkward as fuck, definitely. Cranky, moody…also yes – but jerk? No.”

“Thanks,” Mark replies hesitantly. “I guess?”

“Why are you asking if you’re a jerk?” Ten asks. “Did you make her mad again?”

Mark stops for a second, as if shaken back to reality.

“I-I was just curious,” he mumbles. “Has nothing to do with her.”

Ten sighs. “Come on, dude. Don’t be like that – she’s your girlfriend.”

Mark tenses. He stares at his screen, where the video is paused at a moment of Lee Donghyuck smiling a big, sunny grin.

Before guilt gnaws at him and makes him close all his tabs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's trivia question is: the show that President Jung tells Donghyuck he's been casted in is actually based on two real variety shows - what are the names of these two shows?
> 
> Whomever correctly answers first gets to choose a fandom name for The Dream Boyz, and will be featured so in the upcoming chapters.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading guys. Hope you are all staying healthy and well~


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